


Father Figures

by Sinclaironfire



Category: Naruto
Genre: Abusive Parents, Abusive Relationships, Adoption, Bio Dad Shows Up, Bio Family Sucks, But he does care for Lee, Fluff, Found Family, Gen, Guy is High-Key Lee's Adoptive Dad, Guy is close to adopting Lee, Guy loves his kids, Hatake Kakashi is Bad at Feelings, He Gets Guy and Kakashi, Kakashi has the patience of a saint, Kakashi is Low-Key Lee's Adoptive Dad, Lee Wants a Dad who Cares, Lee has Dad Issues, Lee wants a Dad, Might Guy Has the Patience of a Saint, Naruto: Lee How Come You Get Two Dads?, No One Likes Lee's Bio Dad, Orphan Rock Lee, People Who Care, RUINS EVERYTHING, There goes Lee's Self Esteem, he does his best, rock lee is a sweetheart
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-24
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:35:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 15,740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24898534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sinclaironfire/pseuds/Sinclaironfire
Summary: Lee never knew his father, but he had Gai sensei so everything was fine.Or it was until Lee's supposed biological father arrives at the Hidden Leaf Village.
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi/Maito Gai | Might Guy, Rock Lee & Hatake Kakashi, Rock Lee & Maito Gai | Might Guy, Rock Lee & Original Male Character(s)
Comments: 40
Kudos: 131





	1. Chapter 1

It was a stunningly beautiful day in the Hidden Leaf Village. A perfect summer breeze blew through under the shining sun. A sense of opportunity, vitality, and strength came over anyone who lived or was near the village. It was the kind of day that screamed life was good. No one else in the village felt this more than the resident knucklehead ninja, Naruto Uzumaki, who dreamt of becoming Hokage.

“Oh yeah! I can feel it!” He shouted from the balcony of his apartment. “Today’s _MY_ lucky day!”

He breathed in the sweet summer air and caught the scent of noodles. A cheshire grin spread across his face. “Woo! Nothing better than ramen for breakfast!”

He threw on his iconic orange pants and jacket, and gently placing his necklace on him, Naruto bolted out of his apartment. He jumped over the rooftops of the village, yelling and whooping wildly along the way. He flipped down, landing perfectly in front of Ichiraku ramen. There was no line in for the ramen shop. Naruto’s smile got bigger. He pushed aside the white shades.

“Hey, Naruto.” He was greeted by the father/daughter team that made the best ramen in the village.

“Hiya!” He chirped.

Naruto was prepared to take his normal, no, his _favorite_ seat at Ichiraku Ramen. It was the second seat from the right. It was the seat where he had his first bowl of the village’s famous Ichiraku ramen at the tender age of four. It was the same seat where he sat when Iruka sensei took him out for ramen as congratulations for mastering his kunai knife throwing. Anyone who had common sense and ate at Ichiraku ramen knew that the second seat from the right was Naruto Uzumaki’s seat.

Except for the man who was slurping ramen in his seat. The man wasn’t a ninja, not as far as Naruto could see. He didn’t wear a headband, he didn’t have a pack for his weapons. He was a civilian; a civilian who was sitting in _his_ spot.

“Hey! Mister!” Naruto tugged at the man’s shirt. “Could you move over? You’re sitting in my spot.”

The man slurped the last bit of his noodles down and scoffed. “There are three open seats.”

“I know but I like that spot.”

The man turned to Naruto and sneered. “Go tell someone who cares.”

Naruto gasped. Strangers being rude to him was nothing new. He had that effect on people. Most found him annoying but eventually warmed up to him. However, it wasn’t how this man was rude or that he refused to move from Naruto’s favorite spot but it was how he looked.

The man had long shiny black hair tied in a single braid that reached to his back. He had blunt bangs that nearly covered his peculiar eyes. It was the man’s eyes that made Naruto stop and stare. The man had big round eyes with thick lower eyelashes. Naruto stood on his toes and brushed the man’s bangs away.

“Hey!” The man shouted. “What do you think you’re doing, you creepy little kid?!”

The man had the biggest, bushiest eyebrows that Naruto had seen only twice in his life.

“You look like Bushy-brows!” Naruto exclaimed. “And Bushier-brows sensei!”

The man’s right eye twitched. “Kid, I’m gonna knock your block off if you don’t get your hands off my face.”

Naruto chuckled nervously as he removed his hands from the man’s face. “Heh, sorry about that mister. You just look like a friend of mine.”

“Well I’m not your friend. Go bug off, kid. I’m trying to eat.”

“Yeah, I know you’re not Bushy-Brows but you look just like him. You could be brothers or-or his father or something!”

The man choked on his soup. He pounded his fist against his chest. When he could breathe again, the man downed his glass of water.

“Kid, are you trying to kill me?”

“Nope.” Naruto said innocently. “Come on, you gotta see Bushy Brows then you’ll see what I’m talking about!”

“KID!” The man shouted. “If I see your stupid little ninja friend, will you leave me the hell alone?”

“Sure!”

The man paid for his ramen and sighed heavily. He rubbed his face at would undoubtedly be an agonizingly long day. He knew people like this kid. They were the kind of people who would leech onto you and never let go. The man knew that he would have to ditch Naruto as fast as humanely possible. As soon as this was over, he would leave the village and never return.

“Okay, where to? Where’s your friend?”

“I don’t know.”

The man’s eye twitched again. “What do you mean you don’t know?”

“I dunno. He’s probably or maybe out on a mission but don’t worry I’m really fast. I can find him quick. Let’s go!” Naruto grabbed the man’s hand and dragged him off.


	2. Chapter 2

At the training field, a fierce sparring session was taking place. Two green blurs went at each other with everything they had. To the unsuspecting bystander, the two people seemed to be trying to kill each other. But anyone who knew the legendary Might Gai and his pupil Rock Lee, knew that they were simply doing some light hearted training. Neither master nor student would ever dream of hurting the other.

“Keep on your toes, Lee!” Gai shouted happily, bringing his leg up to block Lee’s incoming fist. “This new move requires speed and precision!”

“Yes Gai sensei!” He mimicked the older man perfectly.

“HA-HA! There you go!”

It was moments like this that Gai lived for. There was nothing so rewarding as seeing one’s students surpass them. TenTen could already match him in weapons, Neji’s precision for attacking his opponents had to be seen to be believe and Lee was already well on his way to becoming a highly regarded taijustu master. Gai couldn’t wait to see the feats his students would do. The future was bright for each of them and Gai was sure that no matter what path they chose, they would excel at it. He was so proud of them.

“HEY! GAI SENSEI!”

Distracted by Naruto’s shouting, Gai let his defenses down and with that, Lee was able to move in and kick him into a tree. The force of the kick and Gai’s speed broke the tree in half. Lee rushed over to his mentor.

“Gai sensei, are you okay?” Lee asked.

Gai jumped right up and dusted himself off. “I am! That was a great kick, Lee. One of your best.”

“Thank you Gai sensei!” Lee bowed just as Naruto arrived on scene pulling an out of sorts looking stranger behind him. Shang pulled his arm away from Naruto and huffed in annoyance.

“See? I told ya that you could be father and son!” Naruto cheerfully exclaimed, ever oblivious to the sudden change in atmosphere. Lee stood rigid as Shang stared him down.

“Guess you are right kid…” With rough calloused fingers, he tilted Lee’s head to the side. “He could be mine.”

Lee backed away from Shang’s touch and looked to his to his teacher. “G-Gai sensei?” His eyes begged for Gai to intervene and Gai did just that.

“Hello good sir!” Gai saluted, putting himself between Shang and Lee. “What’s shakin’?”

Like many who first saw Might Gai for the first time, two things went through Shang’s head: 1. What a loser, 2. What an idiot.

“Uh, hey.” Shang did not return the salute. “Wh-Who are you?”

“Might Gai! Konaha’s Green Beast and taijustu master and this is Rock Lee!” Gai said proudly. “My precious protégé. Is there something that I can help you with?” His smile was ever present but it was not sincere. Anyone who made his students uncomfortable was not to be trusted.

“N-No. Not really. This kid here-“ Shang jerked his thumb in Naruto’s direction. “-wouldn’t quit pestering me about how I looked like some friend of his and well, here we are.”

“Ah, I see.”

“Thought the kid was pulling my leg but he wasn’t. Your protégé could be mine.”

“Yours?” Gai asked questioned.

“My son. Kid, how old are you?”

“Fourteen, sir.” Lee answered.

“That would put you at the right age…I had a kid, not too long ago but I lost him.” Shang didn’t take his eyes off of Lee. “You could be him.”

Lee froze at the man who was his potential father. He didn’t know what to say or do. Neither did Gai. It would be a lie to say that Gai didn’t see the similarities between his precious protégé and the newcomer. Shang was practically an older, identical clone to Lee.

“Wow, really?” Naruto jumped up and down. “You could be Bushy Brows’ father? That’s pretty cool. Do you know any taijustu like Bushier Brows sensei?”

“Don’t kid yourself, kid. I don’t do that stuff. I’m a traveling artist.”

“I think that this calls for a trip to Lady Hokage’s office.” Gai decided. He wasn’t going to take any chances. If there was anyone who could figure it out, it was Lady Hokage.

Lady Tsunade was a woman who spent most of her time running the village from the hospital. This wasn’t to say that she didn’t take her position as Hokage seriously but she found herself more comfortable, more in her element, when she attended to her patients and missions inside the walls of the hospital.

It was when Naruto came running in, disrupting the peace and quiet of what she considered to be her sanctuary that she was ready to give him the lecture of a lifetime but when she saw how tense and worried both Gai and Lee looked, she put on her Hokage hat.

“What’s going on?” she asked.

“This man claims to be Lee’s father,” said Gai, alibet strained. The taijustu master held none of his normal bravado.

“I’m not claiming anything,” said the man who stunningly looked like the younger taijusutu master. “I’m just saying he could be. That’s it, nothing more.”

“I see,” Tsunade leaned back in her chair. “And you want a DNA test?” She couldn’t see the point in doing so. The new man and Lee were practically identical. It was strange. She never thought that Lee could look like anyone else but Gai and yet to see this new man standing right next to him, Lee suddenly looked nothing like Gai.

“It would be for the best,” Gai said tensely.

“Very well,” she answered. “It will take some time. I’ll let you know as soon as the results come in. Mr…”

“Call me Shang,”

“Shang, please see my attendant.”

Stiffly Shang followed with Lee, Naruto, and Gai close behind. The entire way, Gai kept a steady hand on Lee. In a fight, Gai knew that Lee could handle himself but this was different. This was family and in the case of Shang, from his general carefree and devil may care attitude, Gai wasn’t certain that he cared for Shang to be around Lee at least not by himself.

With two quick swabs, the samples were taken away and Lee suddenly found himself looking at the man who claimed to be his father. Shang cast one glance at Lee and sighed.

“So,” Lee started, “You could be my father.”

“Yeah, I guess.”

“Man, this is pretty cool, huh, Bushy Brows?” grinned Naruto. “Just think about all the cool stuff you’re gonna be able to do with your dad! Like you can train together, you can go out for ramen together, and hang out and stuff.”

Lee thought of Naruto’s statement. Training, grabbing meals, and hanging out? He already did that with Gai sensei, but still, the man in front of him could be his father. Wasn’t it his job to make him feel welcomed into the village?

“I’m glad to know you, Mr. Shang,” Lee gave a humble bow, “And as a ninja of the Hidden Leaf Village, I welcome you to my home.”

“Yeah…thanks but no thanks, kid. I’ve already got a place set up while I stay here.”

“Are you thinking about becoming a permanent resident, Shang?” Gai smiled. “The Hidden Leaf is a great place to live and as a resident myself I would be more than happy to help you find apartments and –“

“Sorry, but this is a temporary visit. I’m a traveling artist. Emphasis on traveling.”

“Yeah, but you’re gonna stay right? Cause of Bushy Brows being your son, right?”

Shang had held his tongue longer than he thought he could have. “I’m staying to finish my job and if…” he looked at Lee and already knew the answer. “…if Lee is my son then we’ll take it from here. But I have a job to finish, a job that I need to get to.”

“After your job,” Lee began. “Then maybe I could come visit you? Where are you staying?”

“The Cherry Blossom Inn,” Shang grumbled.

“Oh, that’s not too far from my home,” Lee smiled. “Tomorrow, would you like to join me for breakfast? I know a place that is quite good.”

“That’s nice. Well, I’ve got to go.” And without another world, Shang left.

“I’ll make sure that he gets to his apartment safely,” Gai gave Lee a sympathetic smile. Meeting one’s parent was supposed to be a heart-warming event, but not in this case. Maybe Shang was in shock? He did lose a son and then to have him suddenly alive after all this time? Perhaps he would warm up after a while.

“Thank you, Gai sensei.”

Alone in the hospital room, it was just Naruto and Lee. They left for the training field and the entire way, Naruto wouldn’t stop talking about the sudden appearance of Shang.

“You’re so lucky, Bushy Brows! You’ve got a dad now!”

“I guess I do,” Lee said, slightly dazed.

“Are you excited? It’s gotta be so cool to have a dad!”

“I mean, I guess? I don’t really know. I’ve never had a mom or a dad.”

“Oh yeah, you’re an orphan like me,” Naruto nodded. “But still, having a parent, after all this time? That’s cool.”

“I don’t know. I knew that I had parents, but when I was little I always kinda assumed that I wouldn’t ever know them. I don’t have any memories of my mom or my dad. I came to terms that I wouldn’t have a traditional family.”

“But all that’s changed now.”

“I guess it has,” Lee worried.


	3. Chapter 3

Lee should have risen with the morning sun. Blinding light was pouring into his apartment, but the young ninja did not stir from his bed. He woke with heavy thoughts clouding his mind. He had a father now or at a bare minimum, a man who looked extraordinarily like him. What was Shang like? What was he really like? He said he was an artist. He said that he traveled a lot. And…and that was it. Lee knew nothing about the man.

A million thoughts, none of them good, pounded through his skull. What if they didn’t get along? What if they did? Would Shang move into Konoha? Would he want him to move and go on the road with him? What if he thought being a ninja was too much of a dangerous job? What if he didn’t like ninjas?

Lee shook his head. That was silly! Everyone liked ninjas! Being a ninja was the coolest job in the world. Everyone wanted to be a ninja…just like everyone wanted to know and be with their parents…right? Right! Lee nodded to himself. Naruto was right, he was lucky to have his father or the man he assumed to be in his father back in his life. After the Nine Tails Fox attacked the village, lots of children lots their parents. That was to say nothing of everyone who lost their families during the war. Gai sensei lost his father in the war, Kakashi sensei lost his father, Naruto lost his parents during the Fox attack and so did Iruka sensei. How many people would have given anything in the world to spend a day with their family?

He should be grateful that he got a chance that few ever received. Lee took a deep breath and got out of bed. He was going to have breakfast with his father.

Shang was staying at the Cherry Blossom Inn, a few blocks away from Lee’s humble apartment. The young ninja, dressed in his nicest jumpsuit, stood in front of his father’s door. His hand was prepared to knock, but Lee was paralyzed with fear. What on earth would he even say to Shang? Luckily, Lee did not have to endure his fear for very long. Naruto came bounding down the street and saw him.

“Hey! Lee!”

“Naruto! What are you doing here?”

“On my way to get ramen,” the future hokage shrugged. “How’s your dad?”

“Well, um, I have yet to knock….” Lee admitted.

“Don’t worry, I got ya!” Naruto smiled and then pounded on the door. “HEY! BUSHY-BROWS SENIOR! WAKE UP!”

“Naruto!” Lee admonished. He nearly grabbed his friend, but a small note stuffed under the door caught his attention.

“What is it, Bushy-Brows?”

“It is a note from Mr. Shang. He’s…He’s busy today. He can’t make it for breakfast, but he says that he can meet me for dinner.” Lee tried to smile, but Naruto scowled.

“Who the hell does he think he is? Why that no good, downright –“

“Naruto!”

“Seriously! What’s wrong with him? I thought he wanted to spend time with you. He’s your dad!”

“Hey kids!” A warm and familiar voice rang out.

Turning away from the door, Naruto and Lee saw the Green Beast of Konoha smiling and jogging in place.

“Gai sensei!” Lee beamed.

“What’s going on?”

“Bushy-Brows dad ditched!” Naruto oh so eloquently stated.

Gai stopped running. He put his hands on his hips. “Are you sure? He could be oversleeping.”

“He left a note, Gai sensei,” explained Lee, jumping down to the ground with the note in his hand.

Gai frowned. “Well, breakfast may be gone, but tell you what, today is the perfect day for some Curry of Life. What do you say? My treat!”

Naruto paled at the offer. “No thanks, Bushier-Brows sensei, I’m gonna grab some ramen. See ya!”

“I’d love to Gai Sensei!” Lee saluted.

“Ha-Ha! Excellent! If we leave now, we can be there in time for lunch and to sweeten the deal, I’ll race you there!”

“Yes, Gai Sensei!”

In a flash of green and youth, the two taijustu ninja ran off in the morning sun.


	4. Chapter 4

Over the trees of Konoha, Gai and Lee ran. The young boy had no trouble keeping up with his skilled sensei. He could do so with easy. It made Gai prouder than a peacock to see Lee not only match his speed but to be able to do so much more than he could when he was at that age. Lee truly looked like a carbon copy of Gai, right down to the eyebrows. Everything that Lee did was a perfect replication of Gai’s moves, his style, and his personality, but it was Lee’s strong heart and stubborn determination that made him his own person. He was a great kid. He had a good heart and was everything that a sensei could ask for in a student. Lee was more precious to Gai than the air in his lungs which was why he was infuriated at Shang.

How could that man not want to spend time with a son like Lee?

Lee was perfect! He was a great kid! He was a brilliant student! He took everything to heart! Gai would be proud to call himself Lee’s father if given the opportunity.

“Gai sensei?” the young man in question asked, “Is everything alright?”

“Everything’s fine, Lee,” Gai smiled. “What do you say we take a quick break, eh? A couple of miles doing handstands should work up a big appetite.”

“Alright!”

Gai had hoped that a little exercise would push Shang out of his mind, but it was not the case. Lee was thinking of his father and his disappearance of the morning caused unneeded stress for the ninja.

“Gai sensei?”

“Yes, Lee?”

“May I ask you a question?” Lee somewhat nervously asked.

“Fire away, my precious protégé.”

“Do…do you think that Shang…do you think that he is a good person?”

Fatherly instinct took over. Gai rubbed the back of his neck, no small feat when one was walking on one’s hands, and replied, “He’s a complicated man. Finding you after all this time…it must be a shock. It’s not everyday we get reunited with a family member. But I’m sure that he’s going to come around. Just give him a little time.”

Lee nodded and was satisfied at the moment, but Gai wondered how long that would last. Admittedly, he wasn’t fond of Shang. He wanted to be, more than anything, to welcome Lee’s father with open arms, but how could he? There wasn’t a hint of excitement at seeing his son, there wasn’t any pride in seeing Lee achieving ninja status, and the fact that he was busy of all days. What on earth could he be busy with? What was more important than his son? Gai kept his thoughts to himself. Shang had to change. He would be a better person, he just had to.

Upon arriving at the Curry Shop, Lee and Gai were immediately descended upon by Grandma Sancho. She hugged, cried, and kissed. Through her tears, she said, “I didn’t know you were coming! How are my favorite taijustu masters?”

“I’m doing great,” Gai spoke.

“Me too, Grandma Sancho!” Lee piped up. “And you’ll never believe this! My father is in the village.”

“Your father? But I –“

Like everyone else who saw Lee and Gai, they naturally assumed that Lee was Gai’s son. However, Sancho bounced back with admirable speed and grace. “How wonderful, Lee! What’s he like?

“He’s…he’s a little strange. Kind of quiet, but Gai sensei says that he’ll come around. I think he’s in shock.”

“Uh-huh,” Grandma Sancho nodded. She cast her gaze at Gai who knew full well that a lecture was coming his way. Until that lecture did come, it was time for lunch, for visiting, and for a moment’s peace and relaxation before returning to the village. The moment came and went with alarming speed. Lee departed from the table to help out around the house and do some heavy lifting while Gai and Sancho remained.

“So, Lee’s father is in Konoha?”

“Yes,” Gai nodded. “He’s alive. He’s an artist of some sort. Travels mostly. I think this is the first time he’s been to Konoha.”

“How is Lee handling all of this?”

Gai shrugged, “A little overwhelmed. It’s a big hurdle for him.”

“And how do you feel?”

Once more Gai shrugged. “I don’t know. I want the best for Lee. I want Shang to show some youthful passion. I want…I want things to be good for them. I was a little older than Lee when I lost my dad. I would give anything in the world to spend the day with him again. I want Lee to have what I had with my dad.”

“He already does,” Sancho replied. “With you.”

If anyone asked, Gai would claim that his tears were due to the curry.


	5. Chapter 5

Leaving the beloved curry shop, Gai was confident that the fear he felt surrounding Lee’s paternal issues would be quickly dealt without further complication. Lady Tsunade would confirm or negate the claim of Shang’s connection to Lee and then…then…Gai found himself holding his breath and wondering if things would go back to normal after all this. Seeing his rival at the gates of their village should have brought Gai some peace and repose, but reading Kakashi’s subtle body language brought him nothing but dread. Gai knew the report before Kakashi ever had to speak. The DNA test came back positive and Shang was Lee’s father. 

Lee, knowing Gai and Kakashi, picked up on the change of atmosphere almost instantly. He stood rigid in the presence of his teachers and said in a voice that betrayed no feelings, “He’s my father, isn’t he?” 

Kakashi nodded. “Shang is waiting in Lady Tsunade’s office right now.” 

They walked together, the two jounin flanked Lee as if they were on their way to a parent-teacher conference. While Lee pondered his parentage, Gai was doing everything he could to remain calm . It was true that up until this point his feeling on Shang were in the negative, but now, with the truth out there, it was too bizarre to comprehend. Shang was Lee’s father. This was a fact. But where had he been this entire time? Lee had been in the village since infancy. Why hadn’t Shang searched high and low for his son? Why was Shang so disconnected from the reality that his son, now a brilliant ninja who would surely set the taijutsu world ablaze, was alive and well and before him? 

Kakashi looked over to his rival and then back to Lee. Where Gai radiated nervous energy, Lee was startling blank. Kakashi reached over to Gai and patted his back. For Lee, he ruffled his hair. Kakashi wasn’t the best at displays of affection, but his efforts were appreciated and known to both Gai and Lee that everything would be better sooner or later. 

“How did Shang, I uh, my father,” those words were so strange to say out loud, “react when he heard the news?” 

Kakashi was quiet for a moment. “He wasn’t shocked. I think he always knew.” 

Gai faked a smile. “It’s fatherly instinct. You know when someone is your kid.” He brought Lee into a side hug. 

“You think so, Gai sensei?” 

“I know so,” he boasted. 

Kakashi took one look at the pair and knew that it was true. 

In Lady Tsunade’s illustrious career, she often broke the news to families or survivors that their loved one had shuffled off the mortal coil. It was very rare that she got to bring families together, and yet, for this rare occasion, there was a distinct lack of happiness. Lee stood as stiff as a tree, Gai appeared to be hanging onto Kakashi for support, and Shang, the man in the middle of it all, was staring off into space. Then there was Naruto, who had butted himself into this delicate issue and was waiting impatiently to be told what everyone else already knew. 

“The DNA test came back conclusive. Lee is your son,” Lady Tsunade spoke. “Congratulations.” 

“Huh,” Shang nodded his head. “So, he is.” He looked over at Lee who tried his best to smile under the circumstances. “You’re mine.” 

“I guess so...” Lee quietly muttered. 

“That’s so cool, Bushy-Brows!” Naruto somewhat tackled Lee into a hug. “You’ve got a dad! A real dad and...” things started to click for the future Hokage. “AND where have you been all this time?” he asked Shang. “How did you lose Lee?” 

Gai made a mental note to buy Naruto ramen whereas Kakashi had the gently grace to not so gently scold his student. “Don’t be rude. I’m sure that he has an explanation.” 

“I would like to know as well,” Lady Tsunade folded her hands. “The Hidden Leaf has a number of orphans, but to have a living relative who is able bodied and not claim their child is unusual.” 

“Nothing unusual about it,” Shang spoke with little emotion. “I was in the area with...my son when the fox attacked. I’m not a ninja like the rest of you nor do I claim to have any defense or attacks facing off against a giant fox. It was chaos. I was sure I was going to die and Lee was maybe one at the time. I didn’t see any reason to damn us both to a painful death so I cut my losses. I placed him in a basket, threw him into the river and ran. I didn’t make it very far. The debris knocked me so far away, I was pretty much in the next country. By the time everything settled down, I saw how damaged the area was. There was no way a baby in a wicker basket could have survived.” 

“Except he did,” Gai stated proudly. 

“Yeah, I’ll never forget that day,” Kakashi nodded. 

“Huh? What do you mean, Kakashi sensei?” Naurto asked. 

“After the attack, many of us were sent out to search for survivors. I was with my dogs doing a general sweep of the area when Pakun found a basket with a baby inside. The basket got caught on a rock. We didn’t see anyone around. There weren’t any names, except for a piece of scroll. It had ‘Lee’ on it.” Kakashi shrugged. “I guess, I could have been more creative with the name, but here we are. I assumed the worst and brought Lee home.” 

Home. Not to the Hidden Leaf, not to the hospital, but home. The village was always his home. There was no question of that. 

“I can’t believe you gave him a name like Rock Lee, Kakashi sensei,” Naruto frowned. 

“It suits me,” Lee defended. “Unless, I have another name?” He turned to Shang who shrugged. 

“In my clan, we don’t name children until they’re past the age of five. It’s a rough life out there. Kids can die from a lot of things.” 

“I see,” Gai sighed. “Well, today has been busy, but I’m sure that you’ll want to spend some time with your son?”

Shang looked at Lee. “Yeah, I guess. I did say that we would get dinner, didn’t we?”

Lee nodded. “Yes, father.”

He stood up and motioned for Lee to follow. “Come on, we’re getting ramen.”


	6. Chapter 6

The life of a ninja was fraught with danger, deceit, and  more often than not , death. This was why sharing a meal between  teammates, friends, and loved ones was a highly revered moment. It wasn’t simply the breaking of bread, but a respite , a time to grow and to create memories. Lee could clearly remember the first time Gai sensei had ever taken Neji,  TenTen , and himself  out for dinner. It was after their first and possibly only truly grueling mission. They were green and  still trying to figure out how to work with  one  another.

Gai sensei had done most of the heavy lifting of the mission and it was by his efforts that they managed to survive the sudden onslaught of enemies on what was meant to be a day trip of transporting tax documents.

But still, they had put up a decent enough fight between  TenTen throwing her weapons in every direction, Neji barely saying more than five words to anyone, and Lee who froze at the first sight of danger . Despite the disaster of the mission, Gai was proud of them.

“You did good! ” he raised his glass to them. “Congrats on your first mission!”

He was a shining ray of cheer on what had to be the worst mission they ever had. Gai’s  upbeat attitude eventually brought them all out of it. He gave them pointers, made them laugh when self-doubt clouded their minds, and for  Lee in particular, gave him hope that his lofty goals of becoming a splendid ninja weren’t out of reach. Lee cherished that moment wit h all his heart.

Which was why when he sat down at the ramen shop with his newly found father, maybe his  expectations were set too high. The man next to him was not Gai sensei. He did not laugh loudly or smile in the face of danger or...anything really.  Shang was a quiet person. He kept to himself and he seemed to like it that way. Nevertheless, Lee was determined to get to know his father.

“You must have lots of interesting stories from your travels,” Lee attempted to break the ice. 

“Not really. The life of a traveling artist is simple. I travel, I paint,  I get paid,  I leave.”

“Oh...” Lee fumbled for his words. “ Wh -Where have you traveled to ? I’ve been to lots of places on my missions.”

“Places you’ve never heard of, kid.”

Lee  suddenly  found his chopsticks more interesting than the conversation as he tried to com e up with a new angle.  “Did you ever want to be a ninja?”

“Uh, no. Being a hired kunai knife never appealed to me. But let me guess, you get a kick out of bashing people’s brains in?”

Shang’s statement took Lee by surprise. He didn’t know what to say. “I. ..I don’t. I enjoy having my abilities tested and learn ing how to be better than I was yesterday.”

Shang raised one perfectly bushy eyebrow. “Uh-huh and if it involves beating someone up?”

“The people we face are skilled ninja. When we  enter into a battle, it is a test of our skills and our dedication to our craft. ”

He shook his head. “A craft is like painting or sculpting. There are books you can read and teachers you can learn from.”

“I learn a lot from Gai sensei,” Lee said, straining to be polite.  “He’s the best teacher I’ve ever had.”

Shang furrowed his brow. “That  idiot ? ”

“Gai sensei is not a n idiot ,” Lee spoke, the politeness he was known for gone from his voice. “He is a brilliant  ninja . I am lucky that I have a chance to learn fro m him.”

“And learn what? That gymnastics  stuff? All that kicking and flipping and kung-fu fighting?”

“ And learn how to be a splendid ninja.  I have training tomorrow. Please come, I would like to show you what I can do as a splendid ninja.”

Shang heavily sighed. “You really want me to come?”

“Yes! It would mean the world to me if you were to see what I can truly do.”

“ Alright, fine.”

After dinner, Shang and Lee went their separate ways. Once Lee was in his apartment, he immediately went to work picking out his nicest jumpsuit and polishing his weaponry and headband. Tomo rrow was his chance to prove his father wrong about everything. Being a ninja was not a matter of bashing people’s skulls in but an elegant fight between two worthy opponents. He would amaze his father, have him sing his pra ises just like...like Gai sensei. 

Lee paused his polishing and looked down at his headband with sorrow. He wished his father had a tenth of the pride that Gai sensei had about him.  Lee shook his head. Gai sensei was different than Shang. Gai sensei knew what it meant to be a ninja, Shang didn’t. It wasn’t fair to either to compare them...and yet, Lee did.  For one moment, he wished Gai sensei was his father and that Shang was a man whom he never knew. Ah, but a wish was all it could ever be. 

Shang Li was his father whether he liked it or not, but tomorrow, he would make him proud. 


	7. Chapter 7

When the morning came, Lee was more determined than ever to make his father proud of him. He left his apartment, ready to race to the training field when fear struck him. What if the training practice was a disaster? What if he couldn’t do five hundred pushups or what if his leaf hurricane was but a gust? In the face of fear, Lee turned to the one person in the entire world he could count on to steady his nerves. Lee ran to Gai sensei’s home. He made it to his sensei’s apartment in record breaking time. Unlike his father’s hotel room, Lee had no issue knocking on the door.

“Gai sensei? Are you in?”

It was not Gai sensei who answered, but Kakashi. “Hello, Lee. Come on in.”

It wasn’t uncommon to see Kakashi in Gai’s apartment. There would be days where Kakashi under the pretense of laziness would prefer to stay over at Gai’s apartment rather than his own due to distance or wanted to stay because he like the view better than his own. It was always one excuse or another, but Lee had never known Gai’s apartment to be empty of Kakashi’s things or without food bowls for his summoning animals. “Hi Kakashi sensei. Is Gai sensei in?”

“He lost a challenge and had to take the garbage out, but he should be back in a few minutes.” Kakashi took one look at Lee and replied, “Don’t worry about today’s training. You’re going to do fine.”

“But what if –“

“No, what ifs or buts,” Kakashi said in a calm tone. “You’ve trained every single day with heart and dedication. Today is no different.”

“My father,” Lee began. “He’ll…”

“He’ll see what a splendid ninja you are,” he finished with an air of finality. “That is it.”

“Thank you, Kakashi sensei.”

“You’re welcome,” Kakashi replied and ruffled Lee’s hair for good measure. Displays of affection were hard, but Lee knew what the messing of his hair meant. It meant ‘I care for you’, ‘you’re doing great’, and ‘I am here for you’

“AHA! I RETURN, RIVAL! AND IN RECORD TIME!” Gai appeared suddenly in the window. He was smiling already, but when he saw Lee, his smile somehow got bigger. “Lee! How are you?”

The young ninja fidgeted a little bit, but seemed to clam down in his sensei’s presence. “Little nervous, I guess.”

“Ah, that’s to be expected,” Gai conceded.

“I suppose so,” he breathed a little lighter.

“Well shall we get going?” Kakashi opened the door. “Shang’s probably already waiting for us.”

“Right.”

They left together with Lee taking the front and Gai and Kakashi with him every step of the way.

Upon arriving at the training field, Shang was indeed already waiting for them as was Naruto. The blonde ninja ran up to Lee, brought him into a huddle and whispered somewhat loudly, “You ready to knock your old man’s socks off?”

Lee nodded enthusiastically as they took their place in the training field. Gai and Kakashi joined Shang under a lovely shady tree. Shang was at work, his pencils and sketches littering the field, taking down the movement of the leaves with every stroke.

“ALRIGHT BUSHY BROWS!” Naruto challenged. “HOPE YOU CAN KEEP UP WITH A THOUSAND SHADOW CLONES!”

Kakashi didn’t know if this was Naruto’s way of helping Lee impress his father, but he had to give him some credit. Conjuring up a thousand clones and getting kicked relentlessly in the face, stomach, and anywhere else Lee could hit was not a walk in the park. The sudden arrival of a thousand clones did capture Shang’s attention for a little. He watched carefully as Lee was surrounded, but the second Lee started throwing punches and dodging attacks, he returned to his work. Gai on the other hand never took his eyes off the fight.

“Excellent form, Lee!” he shouted. “Keep it up!”

“Yes, Gai sensei!” In a burst of speed that could only ever come from Lee or Gai, the rest of the shadow clones were gone in an instant. Naruto laid on the grass, exhausted, and smiled, “Woo! You’re getting faster.”

“And your clones are getting harder to fight,” Lee returned the compliment. He then turned to his father, flanked by Gai and Kakashi and asked, “What did you think?”

Shang’s cold eyes flickered to Lee. “Correct if I’m wrong, but wouldn’t it be easier to fight shadow clones with shadow clones?”

“Traditionally, yes,” Lee admitted. “But it is my ninja way to use taijustu so –“

“So what? You prefer to work harder, not smarter?”

His words cut Lee down, but Gai found that he had plenty to say. “In the case of having multiple enemies, yes, using shadow clones would be beneficial. However, too many ninja lack the stamina to efficiently produce as many needed shadow clones in the heat of battle. We can’t all be like young Naruto, right?”

“You got that right, Gai sensei.”

“If a ninja is going to be able to stand for himself, he needs to be quick on his feet. Having multiple shadow clones attack you at once increases your awareness and helps train your speed.”

“Still, not one shadow clone?”

“I…” Lee took a deep breath. “I don’t have the talent for shadow clones…or ninjutsu. I’ve tried when I was in the Academy, but it never happened.”

“Why not?” Shang asked. “You broken or something?”

In the quietest voice, Lee whispered, “…I’m not broken…”

Shang’s careless cruelty stunned Gai into silence. Naruto looked close to slugging Shang. Where the two ninja looked close to slugging Shang, Kakashi kept calm and cool. “Lee, how about you train with me?” he asked, changing the subject.

“You, Kakashi sensei? I don’t know…”

“Believe it or not, I do need some practice and I like to think that I can put up a challenge for you.”

Lee looked to Gai sensei for guidance. Gai nodded proudly. “Okay, then,” Lee nodded. “Let’s practice.”

“Good luck, Lee” Naruto cheered. “You’re gonna need it.”

Kakashi smiled as he and Lee took their places. Shang’s attention returned to his work whereas Gai and Naruto had their eyes set dead on the match before them.

“Thank you for allowing me to spar with your, Kakashi sensei.”

“Same to you, Lee.”

For once, Kakashi did not pull out his romance novel. Although looking back, having his porn out might have given him an edge over Lee as the young ninja was easy to fluster. Kakashi to the best of his knowledge, had fought Gai over a million times. Granted that most of those times were Rock-Paper-Scissors, but as Lee was a mini clone of Gai, Kakashi could rest easy that Lee would fight just like Gai would.

Lee charged hard and fast. First a right hook, then a left hook, followed by a classic drop kick. Seeing Lee fight was like looking back in time and seeing Gai. How many times had Gai charged at him like this? Kakashi sidestepped and tried to deliver a few blows to his opponent. Where Gai would have taken the blows and stayed close for further hand to hand combat, Lee gave himself some distance. He then flung himself back into the battle with all of his might. Kakashi was prepared for a frontal attack. It was what Gai would do.

But Lee disappeared in a flicker of light. Instead of attacking Kakashi’s front, he went above. His kick was stronger than Kakashi had anticipated. It stun him and left him vulnerable. Midway in the air, Lee delivered a perfect Leaf Hurricane. Kakashi had enough time to brace for the attack, but not enough to deflect it. He was thrown clear across the field and into a tree which broke in half.

“Kakashi sensei?” Lee asked as he effortlessly lifted the tree away. “Are you okay?”

“Next time, remind me to use the sharigan. You’re getting faster and faster every day, Lee.” Again he ruffled his hair.

“Ha, that’s my precious protégé for you,” Gai was beaming with pride.

“Hmm…” Shang got up and stretched. “If you say so…”

“I do,” Gai defended. “Unless you believe otherwise?”

“I believe I’ve heard rumors about Kakashi.”

“I do have a habit of provoking the gossip mill,” Kakashi stayed cool.

“You’re an S-Rank ninja. You’ve faced off again some tough customers with that legendary eye of yours. But you somehow lost to this kid?” he jerked his thumb at Lee.

“Lee is an exceptional ninja. I’m not ashamed to say he got the drop on me.”

Shang shook his head at the farce and left. “Sure, yeah, whatever you say.”

Lee watched his father depart. “Um…I…I’ll go get him…”

No sooner had Lee chased his father that Naruto burst into anger. “WHAT IS WRONG WITH THAT GUY?!” He turned to his teachers, his eyes ablaze. “It’s like he doesn’t even care!”

“Shang is a…complicated man.” Gai stated.

“Some people don’t understand what it means to be a ninja,” Kakashi flimsily excused. “Shang is a civilian. He…”

“He’s a Rank S Jerk!” Naruto growled. “How is that guy bushy-brows dad?!”

“I don’t know, Naruto,” Gai sighed. “I don’t know.”

But he would have given anything to be able to call himself Lee’s father.


	8. Chapter 8

Lee spent the better part of his day searching for his father. For a man who did not boast any ninja skills, when Shang didn’t want to be found he made sure that no one would find him. But Rock Lee was a ninja and when he wanted to find someone, he rivaled Kakashi in tracking. Shang had made himself comfortable on the viewing platform for the Hokage mountain. Sketchbook in hand, the master artist sketched away, oblivious to the world and to his son who all but begged for his attention.

“Father!” Lee called out. “Father?”

Shang was roused from his work. He cast a single curious glance at his son before returning to his work. “What is it?”

“Well, um, you left the training field.”

“Yeah, and?”

Lee took in a deep breath. “I…I was wondering…I….” All of his words died on his lips. “If you would like to stay with me at my apartment and have dinner tonight? I’ve got more room than any hotel and I would do my best to make it an excellent stay for you. What do you say, father?”

“I say that I have work to do, but I will stay with you-“ The smile that Lee had on his face was brighter than the sun. “On one condition. I don’t wanna hear any kung-fu fighting or –“

“You won’t hear anything! Nothing of the sort!” Lee swore up and down. “My apartment is down the street from the hotel. It’s A21! I’ll be there cleaning up. Bye Father!” Lee backflipped off of the platform. Shang did not bother to see if his son had stuck the landing and returned to his work.

“Jeez, that kid is loud,” he muttered.

In his humble apartment, Lee was hard at work making things nice and clean. He was sure that his father would enjoy painting in the eastern window where the morning sun was just right. Lee scrubbed the floors, cleaned every nook and cranny that he could reach. He cleaned for hours until his home was spotless. The linens were washed, the windows shined, and the floors were so clean that Lee could see his reflection in it. Once everything was clean, he got to work on dinner.

Admittedly, Lee’s skill in the kitchen was weak compared to Kakashi’s delicate tastes or Gai’s bold flavors. But Lee knew a few recipes or two that he was sure that his father would love what he made and if not, there was always take out. Sometime when Lee was chopping up vegetables as Kakashi had taught him, he heard a knock at his door.

“I’m coming!”

Quicker than lightning, Lee was at the door. He took a deep breath, found his center and opened it. He expected his father to be smiling, to be proud, but instead, his father was as grim as ever with paint smear upon his smock.

“Good evening, father,” Lee bowed. “How was the rest of your day?”

Shang barged into the apartment. He looked around with his hands on his hips and said in a tone none too pleasant, “So, this is what they give a hired gun now a days?”

He nearly dropped the plates. “I’m sorry?” Lee asked.

“Isn’t that what you are?”

“N-No!” he shook his head furiously. “I’m a ninja! I can understand the trouble telling the difference between a ninja and a thug. You see where others may learn the skills of a ninja, they are not loyal to anyone except for their own ideals, motivations, and such. Whereas we shinobi, are loyal to our Hokage.”

“You go around killing people because of what someone tells you to do. How is that any different than a thug?” He eyed the highly polished weapons on the wall with contempt.

Lee’s smiled weakened. “It is different because…” He couldn’t think of anything to say. Gai Sensei would know what to say to that. He took another deep breath. “When one earns the title of Hokage it is because they are the best at securing peace. It is not through strength or through force. Our Hokage leads our village to peace. Sometimes it is necessary to defend our village from those who would attack it and other times it is necessary to see to it that those who live within the village are taken care of. Whether it is defense or for the public good, it is a ninja’s duty to act.”

“Are you really a ninja though?”

“I-I am,” Lee motioned for his father to sit down at the table. “I’ve been a ninja since…well forever.”

“But your little blonde friend, he uses that ninjutsu stuff and you can’t. Can you really call yourself a ninja if you can’t do the most basic ninja techniques?”

“Well like I said before, it is my ninja path to become an excellent ninja through taijustu and –“

“I heard somewhere that in order for a kid to become a ninja they have to pass a test of their mettle. Sometimes it’s a ninjutsu test. You gotta make those shadow clones. So, how did you become a ninja if you can’t do the basics?”

Lee’s nerves got the better of him. “I…” he sighed. “I got lucky,” he admitted. “The academy has three tests for the students to take. Ninjutsu, genjutsu, and taijustu. For me, I could prove my taijustu skill…a little bit. I barely passed. Everyone in the academy knew it. But Lord Hokage, he came to me and said….he said that I had a bright future, but I needed some help. He assigned me to Gai Sensei’s team. And now look at me! Gai Sensei says that I’m on my way to being a master.”

“So, you were able to skip ahead because of reasons.”

“No, I…I didn’t skip. I just…” Lee shrugged. “Lord Hokage said that I had potential. I wanted to live up to it.”

“But unlike everyone else, you never passed the tests. So, really, you’re not a full ninja. You’re playing ninja.”

“Absolutely not! I may not have gone through the same journey as my peers but I am a ninja! See!” he showed off his headband. “Ninja!”

Shang was not impressed. He sipped his water. Any conversation that Lee planned died on his tongue.


	9. Chapter 9

There was a school of thought that the more you said something, the more it was meant to feel. The more he called Shang ‘Father’, a word that still sounded strange to him, he hoped that it would start to feel better like Shang was meant to be his father. He had heard Gai Sensei talk about his father, Dai, sometimes. He always spoke fondly of his father. He talked about how hard he trained, his self-discipline, his spirit, and how strong he was. Dai sounded like an amazing person. Lee liked to think that Dai would have been proud of him, maybe as proud as Gai Sensei was. Lee liked to think a lot of things. He liked to think that if Gai Sensei was his father, he would always be proud unlike Shang. Lee tossed and turned in his bed. Why wasn’t Shange proud of him? Becoming a ninja was a difficult task.

Snug in his bed, Lee’s mind was screaming that he was a ninja. He had earned his headband despite everything. There was no debate about it. Because if there was a debate about it then everything the kids at the academy, Neji, and now his father told him could be true.

He didn’t think he could handle it if it was true.

Small tiny tears made an unwelcomed appearance and stained his pillow. He was a ninja. He was…

Rock Lee was a youthful, passionate person, but he wasn’t stupid. Becoming a ninja was hard even if one could do ninjutsu or genjutsu. Without either, it was impossible. He knew that certain things, exceptions, had been made for him. But so what? Even if the rules were slightly bent, hadn’t he proved his worth time and time again? He was a ninja through and through. At least, that’s what he kept telling himself.

His dreams that night were a nightmarish symphony of self-doubt and anxiety all rolled into one never-ending hellscape. Lee was thankful when dawn broke. It was a suitable hour for him to go out and train. Stealthily sneaking from his bed to not wake his father, Lee crept to his small closet. He had his entire day planned out. A little early morning training, maybe have breakfast with his father, and then…who knew? Lee was sure that today could not be worse than last night.

But then he opened his closet up.

Every single green jumpsuit, thirty in total, were gone. Lee ransacked his bare closet for something wearable, something decent. His formal suit was still there, so was his errand outfit, his rookie outfit, his summer clothes, and his standard shinobi jumpsuit. “No, no, no, no, where are they?” Lee’s was on the verge of tears.

Shang apparently heard and from his place on the bed asked, “What’s wrong with you?”

“I can’t find my jumpsuits!” Lee panicked.

“Those outfits?” Shang stated. “I got rid of them.”

“WHAT?” Lee paled. “WHY? They’re my favorite! Gai Sensei gave me my first pair! And I-“

“Why?” Shang asked. “Why’d he do something like that?”

“Because he was proud of me! And Neji and TenTen! We worked hard! We became a fully functional team and we do great together! I earned my jumpsuit because I –“

“Because you’re wearing a piece of cloth with a symbol? You got that headband because the rules were bent in your favor. Everyone else had to go through the training to get where they are. As far as I’m concerned, you didn’t earn that headband. Look at me, I’m a painter. I went to the academy, I studied, I met the marks, I passed every test, and when it came down to graduate, I could paint anything. I worked so hard my fingers were like glass, but I am a master of what I can do. And you? Skipped ahead. You’re not a ninja. You’re playing pretend.”

Lee’s mind went blank. A wave of emotions came crashing over him. None of his thoughts were pleasant. “I…I-I’m going out.”

His choice of clothes were limited but Lee opted for the standard shinobi jumpsuit. It was the most identical to his traditional outfit. Once he was properly dressed, Lee ran. He ran as hard and as fast as he could until the village became nothing but a blur of colors, sounds, and voices. Everything felt so wrong. Fathers, parents, people who contributed to your existence were meant to care about you and love and Shang…Lee tried to breathe, parents weren’t meant to be like this.

I wish I stayed an orphan, he bitterly thought and then berated himself for ever daring to think such a thing. How many orphans did the village boast? How many people lived in the village without ever knowing their parents or had lost them from illness, war, or famine?

“Shang is my father,” he told himself. “I…I am sure that he…” His mind struggled for a reasonable answer towards his father’s attitude. “My father is a civilian. He is an artist and a very good one. He does not know the life of a ninja as I do. He is acting like because he does not understand. I can help him understand if I…” Lee’s frantic run turned into a steady walk. “I can help him if I show him what it means to be a ninja.” The idea was sounding better with every passing second. The more Lee repeated it in his mind, the more it had to be true. His father would love ninja as much as he did. Lee was sure of it. He would get to it right away as soon as he found a suitable replacement for his green jumpsuit.

While no one in the village wore green jumpsuits like Gai or Lee did, they were still a hot item in terms of durability and layering. The fact that they were a stylish green was just the icing on the cake. Arriving at the supply store, Lee fully expected to see a surplus of green jumpsuits. He was met with disappointment. Every jumpsuit was gone.

“Sorry,” the shopkeeper said, “The plant that we get the green dye from got hit with a bad frost.”

“Do you know when you’ll get some more in?” Lee asked, his voice hopeful and a tad desperate.

The shopkeeper shook her head. “No clue. Until we get the dye, all we got are white jumpsuits.”


	10. Chapter 10

Training was, in Lee’s humble opinion, the best way to get one’s mind of unpleasant thoughts. For the entire day, Lee worked his body to the bone in perfecting his skills. By the time the sun was setting, Lee’s body thoroughly ached. He didn’t mind it. Each twinge of pain served as a reminder that he was a little bit stronger now than he was when he started. He was making progress and that’s all that mattered. Added on by the fact that he hadn’t thought of his father or his strange ideas on ninjas was an added bonus. By the time the sun was setting, Lee was exhausted.

He trudged back to his humble apartment, wanting nothing more than to eat and sleep. When he entered, Shang’s voice rang out, “Watch where you step! Drying paintings!”

Lee was wide awake and jumped over everything till he made it to the couch. On the floor, scattered everywhere, were canvases of every shape and size. In the center of it all was Shang whose brow was furrowed in deep concentration as he gazed a blank canvas.

“What are you doing?”

“Working,” Shang growled. “Or trying to. This canvas escapes me. It is remaining blank and I will not stand for it.” He looked Lee up and down. “Where have you been?”

“Training,” he replied, ready for the inevitable scoff and scolding that Shang was prepared to have for him.

“Training, huh? There’s barbeque in the oven if you want it.”

There was no scoff, there was no scolding, no deriding of his training or anything. This was strange. “You cooked?” Lee asked.

Shang scoffed at the obviousness of it all. “Yeah, gotta eat.”

“Thank you, father.”

Lee leapt to the kitchen. Just as Shang has said, there was leftover barbeque in the oven. It was still hot and it smelled delicious. Lee made his plate and stood in the kitchen mulling over his father. He was a complicated man. Lee knew this. But at least he cared enough to make dinner. That had to count for something, right? Lee jumped back to the living room. He perched on the couch and asked his father, “Can I watch?”

“Sure,” Shang shrugged. “There’s not much to see right now.”

“What are you trying to do?” Lee asked.

Shang turned to him and in a moment, he grinned wildly. “I’m making a masterpiece.”

“Yeah? What kind of masterpiece?”

“A one of kind or I would as soon as I figure out what this canvas is meant to be.”

“I thought that it was up to you, the artist?”

“It’s so much more than that. Any idiot with a brush can throw paint upon a canvas but it takes a master to create a masterpiece and I am a master. Look at what I have created.”

His work was spread out on full display in the living room. The most stunning landscapes and realistic portraits came from his hand. They seemed to possess a liveliness that made it look like any moment they could pop right off their canvas and come to life.

“They’re all beautiful,” Lee murmured in dazed amazement.

“That is because I am a master. I have spent years in perfecting my form and look,” he dipped his brush into the black ink. Gently he moved across the paper and in seconds, he had created the Hidden Leaf Village with nothing more than a few well-placed strokes. “I have created art. This is what life is about: creating something beautiful, something meaningful.”

Lee looked at everything that Shang had created. Among the still-lives, there was a portrait that he recognized. “I didn’t know Kakashi Sensei let you paint him.”

“He didn’t,” Shang explained. “But Kakashi’s quite a popular figure. Got a lot of admirers. A sketch of him can sell for a lot. A headshot of the man? I would never have to work again.”

Lee frowned. “Do you paint for money or for -?”

“Both. I always paint for both. There are fools in this world who tell you that if you have a job that you love, you will never work a day in your life. How stupid. Those people obviously never experienced poverty or staying out in the cold. Doing what you love is fine, but getting paid is better.”

Lee nibbled on the barbeque. “When did you start painting?”

“Since forever. I have never known a day when I did not paint or draw or sketch or whatever.”

“That’s how I am with taijustu!” Lee beamed. “I always train! Day in and day out!”

Shang offered a sort of pitiful smile towards his son. “But what do you create?”

“Hurricanes,” Lee replied. “If I do it right.”

“Very funny, but what do you bring into this world? What do you add to it?”

“Well, I…”

“It should be the aim of everyone on this earth to add to it, not take away. When my time comes to die, I will have left behind a trove of artistic treasures. And you? What will you have left behind?”

Lee’s heart was caught in his throat. He didn’t want to think about death when his own brush with it hadn’t been too long ago. “What did my mother leave behind?” he asked softly. “You haven’t spoken of her and I…I am curious to what my mother was like.”

“She left you behind.” Shang replied. “As for what she was like…well, hold on.” He reached for a slim black book. He moved through the delicate pages until he found what he was looking for. “Here she is,” Shang declared. “There’s your mother.” He passed the book to Lee. “Her name was Fujiko.”

What Shang had was no bigger than a napkin. The woman was gorgeous. She had bright eyes, long black hair, and thin pouty lips. Lee looked like Shang, but he had his mother’s smile. Seeing her portrait was strange, stranger than it was seeing Shang. He had seen the way other children’s mother were and would admit that the woman he thought of his mother was something of a mix of what he had seen. She was sweet, harsh, loving, brash, brave, worried, funny, boring beautiful, and plain. There was never a central look or personality for her. She existed as a shifting mass of ideals and features. 

“What was she like?” Lee asked, his voice breaking.

“She was beautiful, told bad jokes, flirtatious, never could hold her liquor, and I never won a single game of ping pong against her,” Shang shook his head. “She was my muse for some time.”

“How did you meet?”

“Fujiko was a singer in a lounge act. When she got her break, her manager, some sleaze whatshisname, wanted new posters of her done. I was hired and well, the rest is history.”

There was a lump in Lee’s throat. “What happened to her?”

“I don’t know,” Shang sighed. “Her manager was somehow able to find me. Told me that she was having trouble balancing motherhood and her career. He asked that I take you with me and give her some time to rest and recover. Then the whole fox thing happened and…ooh, by the time I recovered, made it back to the little lounge that she sang in, Fujiko was long gone.” He watched Lee take all the information in. It didn’t take a genius to see that his nerves and his mind were running wild. “Keep the sketch.”

“What?” Lee sniffled.

“Keep it. I’ve got others of her. You can have that one.”

“I…” Lee smiled and cried. “Thank you, father.” He dried his tears on his sleeve. “I…um, I’m going to go to bed. Thank you for everything.”

“You’re welcome. I’m going to stay up and paint, alright.”

“Alright, goodnight,” Lee bowed and retired to his bedroom.

Late into the night Shang painted. His brushstrokes were elegant, but his subject matter was lacking and his mind was full. He hadn’t thought of Fujiko in years. She had been fun, vivacious, if not, in Shang’s opinion, a bit stupid. Oh well, everyone couldn’t be everything. It was her stupidity that had gotten him saddled with his son in the first place. Still, while she might have been unbearably stupid, she was, at least back in the day, a well-off woman and she cared for her son more than anything else.

A thought came to Shang’s mind: What kind of woman wouldn’t want a portrait of her child?

If she was alive, she would pay dearly for one and if she wasn’t well, that was her problem not his. A simple sketch of Lee would suffice. It wouldn’t have to be anything fancy. In less than five minutes, he had a perfect sketch of Lee but Shang was not satisfied with it. Lee looked too much like him. From the eyes to the eyebrows, painting Lee was like painting a self-portrait. Granted that while Shang held the personal opinion that Fujiko was stupid, she could just as easily claim that the painting was a fake.

The bowl-cut hairstyle wasn’t helping things either. It was too old fashion. The painting needed to be more modern, more up to date. Naruto had a good young punk hairstyle, but on Lee it looked wrong. Shang spent all of five seconds thinking of his next move. He grabbed a pair of scissors, went into Lee’s bedroom, and went to work.


	11. Chapter 11

Before the break of dawn, a strangled anguished cry could be heard from Rock Lee’s apartment. The young ninja stood in front of his mirror, eyes full of tears, as he barely recognized himself. His hair, the style that he worked so hard to imitate from Gai sensei was butchered. Brutally cut in places, hacked to pieces, Lee’s hair was a stylistic mess.

Lee cried until his eyes were red, his throat was raw, and until his body felt like it would shatter from the stress. He never felt nor looked so bad before. His hair was awful. There was no fixing it! It looked like he had taken a kunai knife to it and –“

A kunai knife! Ino! She could help! She was smart and if she could fix Sakura’s hair with a kunai knife just imagine what she could do with a normal pair of scissors. Wasting no time, Lee got dressed and bolted from his bedroom. On his way out, he didn’t look at his father. He didn’t want to see the man. He didn’t want to acknowledge the man’s existence. Over rooftops and roads, Lee leapt to the flower shop where Ino’s family resided. Rapidly he knocked, banged really, on the front of the flower shop. He waited in agonizing silence until a tired and cranky Ino appeared in the doorway.

“Sorry, sir, we’re not open yet,” Ino yawned. “Come back in an hour.” She turned away and was prepared to go back to bed until Lee, exclaimed, “Ino, it is me! Rock Lee! I need your help! Look!” He pointed to his disaster of hair.

“Yikes! What happened to you!?” she exclaimed. “Did TenTen use you for target practice?”

“No, my…” Lee sighed. If he talked of his father’s act, he would surely cry again and he wasn’t sure that he would be able to stop. “Can you fix it?”

“I’ll give it a shot, but I’m not making any promises.”

And that was how Lee found himself in Ino’s bathroom as she cut his hair. Bits of his hair fell to the floor. He couldn’t see what Ino was doing. All he could think of was how much hair was now on the floor. It made him nervous. It scared him. He liked looking like Gai Sensei. He made him proud of his thick bushy eyebrows. As a kid, he didn’t have a lot to be proud of and children were so cruel. With Gai, he had someone to look up to. It was only natural when he took his own pair of scissors can gave himself a crude version of Gai’s iconic haircut. Even then, it wasn’t until Gai gifted him with his first green jumpsuit that he made the official jump to mimic his hairstyle.

Oh, he was not looking forward to the explaining why his hair looked like he stuck it through a shredder. If explained why, then Gai Sensei would be upset at Shang, Shang would insult Gai Sensei and then…then who knew? Maybe Gai Sensei would beat him up? A small part of Lee was thrilled of the idea of Gai Sensei showing Shang what a true taijustu master could do. The rest of him was ashamed that he even had those thoughts in the first place. 

“Lee? Are you okay?” Ino asked. “You’re kinda quiet.”

“Sorry, I have a lot on my mind right now.”

“That’s okay. I was saying that I’m nearly done. I’ll give you some hair gel, the good stuff, so you can manage.”

“Hair gel?” Lee questioned. “Do I need it?”

“Trust me, you do. I can’t fix your hair to make it look like your bowl cut. For that, you’ll have to wait till it grows back. Until then, you can spike it up and wear it Kakashi Sensei.”

Kakashi was Gai’s greatest rival and Gai Sensei did consider Kakashi Sensei to be cool. If he couldn’t have his bowl cut then at least he would have the style of someone that Gai Sensei held in high esteem. Ino finished her cutting and added the gel to Lee’s hair. When he looked in the mirror, Ino through no small feat of skill and style, had saved his hair.

“Thank you Ino!” Lee nearly wept.

“It’s no problem,” she smiled. “Come back in a month so I can give it a trim, okay?”

“Yes, I will! Thank you again! Oh, before I go, would it be alright if I could purchase some flowers?”

“Uh, sure yeah,” She replied taking her place behind the counter. “We’ve got fresh roses, sunflowers, and lilies.”

“Your family always has the most marvelous lilies,” Lee beamed as he picked a combination of roses and lilies.

“We do our best.” She rang up his order and created a stunning bouquet. “Who are they for?” Ino asked as she handed them to Lee. “Sakura?”

“For you! Thank you, Ino! For everything!” He deeply bowed to her. “Without you, I would not be able to show my face in public. You are truly a gift to this village.”

Ino blushed as she took the flower. “Thanks Lee and you’re welcome.”

  


Lee counted himself lucky that Ino had been willing and able to save his hair. The new look wasn’t bad by any means, it was just different. It would be a while before he felt comfortable showing his face around. Too many people would ask him why the sudden change in his look. The jumpsuits were understandable. Who could predict a dye shortage? But the hair? Explaining that Shang, for some inexplicable reason, decided he looked better without his favorite bowl cut? Lee felt exhausted just thinking it. He didn’t want to have to talk, he didn’t want to think, he simply wanted to be alone.

Once more Lee trained from morning till dark. The training field was wonderfully deserted of any ninja. Lee was free to train in peace and forget the horrors of the day. But in a blur the day was gone and it was time to return home. Reluctantly, Lee packed up his things and returned to his apartment. The lights were on inside. He could hear his father. Lee’s stomach turned. It was doing so many backflips and stunts that it could have earned it’s own title of taijustu master. Lee steeled his nerves.

He had faced many a foe in his springtime of youth. He could handle his father. Taking a deep breath, Lee entered his home. He expected to see his father once more on the floor with his paintings everywhere. Instead, Lee was treated to the sight of a woman posed in the living room. She was naked and posed in a manner that went beyond the study of human anatomy or the appreciation of the human body. It was worthy of Kakashi’s pornography.

Lee blushed and shut the door. There were many things he could endure but the loss of his jumpsuits, his hair being butchered, and now the porn in his apartment? Too much. It was too much. Left out of his apartment, Lee went to the only place where he could feel at home: Gai Sensei’s place. Lee made to Gai Sensei’s place in record time. He prepared himself for the questions that would be asked and just as he was about to knock to come in, he spied a note attached to the door.

“Dear Neji, TenTen, and Lee,” he read. “Out on an S-Rank mission with Kakashi. I will be home soon. There’s food in the fridge and the sheets have been washed. Yours youthfully, Gai Sensei.”

Knowing Gai and Kakashi Sensei, Lee knew that they would be back as soon as possible. Until then, Lee would be alone in the apartment. He reached for his key that he kept in his right leg warmer and entered in. When he, Neji, and TenTen had been placed with their sensei, Gai had made it an absolute rule that for whatever reason they needed a safe place to stay, whether it was due to weather, home issues, a need to train, early or late-night missions, or a place to crash if they were too far from their own place, they were welcomed to stay at his.

Lee was not ashamed to say that he was a frequent visitor. He didn’t stay as often as Kakashi did but enough that he could maneuver through the apartment in the dark and sleep easy knowing that he was home.


	12. Chapter 12

S-Rank missions were never a walk in the park. They were brutal, unforgiving, and more often than not resulted in the death of the shinobi that went on them. Gai and Kakashi were veterans of S-Rank missions, but even they felt the effects of one. As they trudged home, Gai weak from powering through everything and Kakashi dead on his feet from exhaustion, they had one singular thought: They would complete the mission report in the morning.   
Coming home to Gai’s apartment was a welcomed relief from the sheer hell that their mission had been. Everything that could have gone wrong did go wrong. From the mission specs being six months out of date, to the protection target deciding that they knew how to protect themselves from assassins, to the fact that Gai had to open the gates (an anxiety filled event for Kakashi), they were both glad to be done with it all. 

Gai claimed the bathroom first whereas Kakashi chose to get changed. Bloodstained clothes were hardly suitable to wear to bed. As Kakashi entered the bedroom, he heard someone else. Kunai knife out, Kakashi was prepared for whatever foe was lying in wait. It wasn’t the first time someone tried to get the drop on him while changing. Yet, the alarm for nothing. Upon closer inspection, the curled up mass on the futon was not a deadly ninja lying in wait, but a tired one in need of sleep. 

“One of your kids is here,” Kakashi said softly. 

“Which one?” Gai answered while brushing his teeth. 

Upon becoming his student’s sensei, he’d given them all a key to his apartment for emergencies. If they ever needed a place to stay, recover, or train, they were more than welcomed. So far, TenTen had stayed twenty times, Neji stayed whenever Gai remembered to buy his conditioner, and Lee stayed for extra training. Each student had their own futon, their own snacks, toothbrushes. Gai made his home into a secondary home for his students.   
Kakashi peered into the darkness, his eyes were killing him, but he could make out white bandages and the smell of youth. “It’s Lee.”

Gai stuck his head out of the bathroom. “Lee?” He stepped into the bedroom and saw that it was in fact his precious protégé sleeping on his designated futon. Gai’s heart sank a little. “I thought…I thought he was supposed to be spending time with his father.”

“Maybe something came up? Shang could have gotten sick, didn’t want Lee to get sick too…” Kakashi gave the man more credit than he deserved. 

“I hope nothing bad happened,” Gai worried endlessly. 

“Parents and children do fight sometimes,” He gently reminded him.

“Yes, but not all children have been separated from their parents for fourteen years.”

“I know,” Kakashi nodded, getting ready for bed. Gai climbed in first then he. Kakashi rested his head against Gai’s chest. The soothing rhythm of Gai’s heart relaxed him. “You know, he could be your son.”

“I wish.” Gai sighed, shifting his weight to get more comfortable. 

“No, really,” Kakashi curled up beside his eternal rival. “He’s got your hair and eyebrows-“

“-your beautiful smile-“ Gai added in.

“-your determination-“

“-your kindness-“

“Kindness? No, that’s all Lee.” Kakashi buried his face into the warm fabric and sighed. “You’ve got a good kid.”

“He’s not my kid.” Gai said sadly. “He’s Shang’s. I wanted….I want Lee to have a good relationship with his father. I miss my dad every single day. I will never get to spend time with him again, but Lee can with his father.”

“He spends time with you,” Kakashi pointed out. 

“But this is his father.”

“Gai, his father wasn’t there when Lee was in the academy. He wasn’t there during the Chunin exams, the hospital, racing through the country so he wouldn’t miss his kid’s surgery. He wasn’t there, day after day putting all of his time and energy into helping a kid who everyone thought would never become a ninja. You’re his father, not Shang,” Kakashi finalized. 

Gai pulled Kakashi closer. “I told myself that I wouldn’t get attached.”

“I know.” Kakashi said sympathetically. “I know you did.”

“It was just so easy, my eternal rival. The way the other kids picked on him? It was like looking back.”

“I guess the eyebrows helped too…”

“Heh, you and your hip attitude…oh Kakashi, there isn’t a thing in this world or the next that I wouldn’t do for my kids”.

“I know.” Kakashi had seen it time and before again. Other shinobi didn’t put forth half the effort Gai put in for his charges. He was the sensei that stayed until dark helping a fiery TenTen perfect her kunai throwing. He was the sensei who knew the pain that the talented Neji faced from losing a father and feeling like an outcast. He was the sensei who saw the potential in a hapless but determined kid like Lee. The kids were lucky to have someone like him. “You could always adopt him.”

“It’s not like I haven’t put any thought into it.” Gai groaned, “But, legally, I can’t. Children can’t be on the same team as their parents. It’s favoritism. I’d have to break up the team and that’s not fair to Neji or TenTen or Lee.”

“Yeah, but let’s face it. Lee’s your son in everything but name. Why not make it official? I can see Lady Hokage bending the rules, just this once.”

Maybe it was the blood loss talking, but now more than ever, Gai liked the idea of adopting Lee. Kakashi had his points and everything he said was true. In everything but name, Lee was his son. Surely, that had to count for something?


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to say thank you to everyone who has read and left a review on this story.

When Lee woke, he was startled. For one brief moment, he thought he was in his own apartment with his father nearby. He dreaded whatever personal loss he was about to experience. First his jumpsuits, then his hair…fear coursed through Lee. What if his eyebrows were gone? He didn’t think he could stand it if his eyebrows were shaved off. But then he heard gentle snoring. Lee cautiously opened his eyes and saw a hand dangling from the bed across from him. Silver hair could be seen. Lee exhaled a breath he didn’t know that he was holding onto.

It was Kakashi Sensei, they were in Gai Sensei’s apartment, and he still had his eyebrows. Life was good.

Lee rose from the futon. Peace washed over him for the first time in days until he realized he would still have to explain his clothes and his hair. Lee fell back into bed and wondered if it was possible to lie and wait until his hair grew back. It wasn’t. Hunger overcame his desire to hide until further notice. Stomach grumbling, Lee rose from bed. He was careful not to wake Kakashi as he tiptoed into the kitchen.

Gai Sensei was already up. He wasn’t training. Gai was silent, oddly still as he reviewed the mission report. He tapped the pen against the side of his cheek, tutting as he filled it out. Gai looked up once he heard the shuffling of exhausted feet. He expected Kakashi and in a manner he did get Kakashi, albeit a smaller, black-hair one with his bushy eyebrows.

“Lee!” Gai exclaimed. “You cut your hair!”

Lee seemed to shrink under Gai’s gaze. “Yeah, I um…the thing is that…”

“It looks great!” he smiled and gave a thumbs up. “Very youthful! Very Kakashi-like!”

“I wasn’t sure about it,” Lee murmured, sitting down next to his sensei. He had to thank Ino again for her help.

“That’s the great thing about hair,” Gai said. “If you’re not sure, it’ll grow back in no time.”

Lee couldn’t express how badly he was waiting for that day. He sighed and rested his head against the cool table. “I didn’t hear you or Kakashi Sensei come in last night. Did you come home late?”

“We got in a couple of hours ago. Maybe around two?” he guessed. Gai planned his next move carefully. “I was surprised to see you over, my precious protégé. Didn’t want to wake your papa up with early morning training, huh?”

Lee’s heart twisted horribly. He wanted to say, ‘Yes, Gai Sensei! My father was busy working and needed extra sleep. While I was sure that I could leave my home quietly, my father’s wellbeing took priority’. He wanted to pretend that everything was okay, that he had a good relationship with Shang, and the entire reason he stayed over was because he wanted to train, but he was tired of faking. He hated the way Shang thought that he was a thug and not a real ninja, he hated that Shang got rid of his jumpsuits, and that he saw fit to cut his hair. Why didn’t Shang like him? Lee didn’t know why. Was he not making a hard enough effort? He tried asking questions, finding out more about him, hanging out with him…was it not enough? What would be enough for Shang?

“Gai Sensei,” Lee sniffled. His eyes stung with tears. “Am I a failure?”

“What?! No!” Gai brought his precious protégé into a hug. “You’re a bright ninja with an even brighter future. Who put that thought in your head? An enemy? An un-youthful rival?”

“I…I…” There was only so much grief that one heart could take. Lee choked and sobbed quietly. “I don’t think my father likes me very much.”

If Gai could have screamed at that moment, he would have. How could Shang do this to Lee? Blatant paternal pride coursed through his veins. Gai managed to hug a sobbing Lee even harder. “You are not a failure. You are a genius of hard work. I…” Part of him wanted to defend Shang. The man was obviously an idiot and unable to realize the gravity of what he was saying. It was sad really. Then again the other part of Gai, the one that had all that hot blooded youth pounding through him, wanted to see how far he could punch someone out of the village.

“I don’t know what to do, Gai Sensei,” Lee shook. “I can’t seem to do anything right with my father. What can I do to make him proud of me?”

I am proud of you, Gai wanted to say, but that would have been selfish. He was always proud of Lee. This wasn’t an issue of him not being proud of Lee, this was Shang being stupid, cruel, and apparently blind to the perfect son that was right before him. There was nothing Gai could say to wipe away the pain. He chose to hold onto Lee as he fought his own whirlwind of emotions. Thankfully, where his words failed, Kakashi always a quick quip on hand. The silver haired ninja sauntered in, observed Lee and Gai, and sat down next to them. Gai silently begged Kakashi. Kakashi was more than happy to help.

“Lee,” he spoke. “I couldn’t help but notice that you’re not wearing your green jumpsuit. Something wrong?”

“They were all out,” Lee hiccupped. “Cause of the dye shortages and my…my father threw mine away.”

Gai, to his credit, showed no signs of external distress. But Kakashi could see the telltale signs of internal distress.

“Hmm, I wondered why the price went up,” Kakashi mused as he retrieved a familiar green jumpsuit from his pack. “The village Gai and I were in didn’t have my preferred outfit, so I bought this. I don’t need it anymore, but I’d hate to see it go to waste.”

“Thank you, Kakashi Sensei!” Lee raced off to put it on at once.

As Gai breathed and tried to process everything, Kakashi leaned back in his chair and commented, “You know, I always wondered what our kids would look like. Absolutely gorgeous.”

“He threw his jumpsuits away,” Gai muttered.

“He also cut his hair,” Kakashi mused.

“What?”

Kakashi gave Gai a look. “Oh, come on, Gai.”

“I noticed, but I was hoping Lee decided to copy you instead of…I do not like Shang.”

“I’m touched you think Lee holds me in such high regard,” he chuckled.

“He does!” Gai insisted. “Of course he does, my rival.” He slumped forward in his chair and ran his hand through his hair. “Trust me, I know my son- protégé.” Gai corrected himself. “I know my protégé.”

Kakashi smiled through his mask. “You’re thinking about it, aren’t you?”

“I am but first I need a word with Shang. What he has done is unacceptable.”

“Will you be speaking with your words or fists?”

“I’m not gonna beat him up, Kakashi,” he insisted. “We’re going to have a little heart to heart. Shang is not a ninja. I concede that. He has also not been a father for fourteen years. He’s rusty. He doesn’t know what to do.”

“I’m not a parent,” Kakashi pointed out. “But even I know not to throw kids’ clothes away, cut their hair against their will, or be a general dick. Gai, you’ve got to let Shang go. He’s not gonna become the parent that you want for Lee.”

“But Lee’s father-“

“I’m talking to Lee’s father right now. What of it?” Gai was stunned into silence. “That’s what I thought,” nodded Kakashi. “Now help me get started on breakfast, I’m starving.”


	14. Chapter 14

Breakfast at the Might/Hatake household was a complicated event. This was not because neither couldn’t cook or hated taking care of the chore that was breakfast but it more on the fact that there were so many mouths to feed, most being Kakashi’s dogs who could talk as well as jump up on anyone who held their food bowls. Thankfully, Lee was a capable ninja and could handle eight ninja dogs getting excited over breakfast and treats while Gai managed everyone’s else meals.

“I’m thinking bacon, eggs, toast, and pancakes, rival!” Gai declared with an ounce of his usual gusto.

Kakashi couldn’t overall blame him. There was the issue of Shang to deal with and then speaking to Lady Tsunade on the matter of adopting Lee was stressful. On the surface, Kakashi couldn’t see a real issue with it. Gai was in all but name Lee’s father and Lee was basically Gai’s son. He recalled the first day he saw a young Lee at the Academy, shouting at his detractors and determined to do whatever he could to become a ninja. Kakashi hadn’t recognized the hotblooded academy student as the baby that he rescued from the river and rocks. Honestly, when he saw Lee running laps, he quite seriously thought Gai had a child and just didn’t decide to not tell him about it.

Was he hurt? Yes.

Was he overreacting? Yes.

Did he use his Anbu skills to see whose parent the little mini Gai belonged to? Hell yes, he did.

So, Lee wasn’t Gai’s kid, but who cared? After the ninja war, there were more orphans than anyone could care for. Kids got picked up by anyone who showed an iota of interest in their wellbeing. Sometimes it was good, but most of the time it was bad. Haku was a prime example. Powerful techniques with emotional dependence on a parental figure? It was a recipe for disaster. How they avoided another war without orphans going to bat for their adopted parental figures was a miracle. Now that he thought about it, the fact that they had half the support networks for the orphans of the war was amazing. The Leaf Village was rife with them.

Naruto had Iruka. When no one else cared for him, Iruka essentially adopted Naruto. He cared for the blonde troublemaker more than anyone else in the entire village. Lee had Gai. It was obvious for anyone who had two brain cells to rub together that if Lee was going to have a future as a ninja, he would have to be a taijutsu specialist. Lee was already put down on Gai’s team before he ever left the Academy. His path was made, but Lee made it his own.

When he was a rookie, one might have said that Lee was Gai’s kid. He had the blunt hairstyle and the thick eyebrows. But by the time he added Gai’s signature bowl cut and jumpsuit, everyone just assumed and honestly, who could blame them? Gai radiated fatherly pride with each and every single on of his kids. Kakashi couldn’t prove it, but he was certain that if Gai would ever become a civilian, he would be the kind that kept a wallet of all of his kids’ photos. He didn’t carrying the photos on him now. It was too dangerous to keep on his person as a ninja, but the keepsakes were proudly displayed in his apartment. Dozens of photos of Neji, TenTen, and Lee at different times of their rookie career could be seen everywhere. 

TenTen mastering her kunai throw, Neji looking dour as ever, and Lee beaming with joy over his new training weights. Hidden among the photos were smaller keepsakes of past missions, moments of pride, of passion, and for Kakashi romance. He couldn’t put it into words, but Kakashi liked Gai’s apartment. It didn’t feel like a place to just crash after a mission, it felt like a home. Kakashi didn’t know how Gai did it, but when he walked into the apartment, there was a profound sense of warmth, love, and acceptance. Any kid would be lucky to be able to call Gai’s home his own.

So, why couldn’t it be Lee’s?

Kakashi couldn’t reasonably see an issue with placing Lee with Gai. It was a dirty secret that every sensei had their favorites. Asuma had Shikamaru, Kurenai was fond of Hinata, and he himself did have a soft spot for Sasuke. The only difference was that with Gai and Lee, people simply assumed that they were related. The shocking resemblance made everyone naturally think that Lee was Gai’s and vice versa. Why not make it official?

Gai could adopt Lee and then…Kakashi paused on his train of thought. Lee would be staying with Gai more frequently when the adoption went through which meant that Kakashi’s thinly veiled excuses would become a lot more flimsy. He and Gai had been together since they were fourteen. They never declared it or made it official. It was more like he moved his things into Gai’s apartment and Gai to his and they got a bigger mattress because sometimes the dogs liked to cuddle with them.

Oh shit, they would have a teenager in the house.

Oh shit, they didn’t have the space for a teenager in the house.

Oh shit, did this mean they could finally get a bigger place…with a yard!

Would he miss the apartment? Yes, a little. They made some good memories here but a bigger place? With a yard? And a better training room? And a bigger kitchen?

“Kakashi? You okay?” Gai asked. “You’re burning the bacon.”

He was, but burnt bacon was worth his epiphany. “Yeah, just thinking.” He cast a glance over to Lee who was finishing up feeding the dogs. “Just thinking.”


End file.
